Rays of Sunshine

Last year, Friends of Flicka provided the funds needed for the rescue of Sunshine, a young pregnant Golden Retriever who was up for sale at a breeding auction.

Sunshine had never known the warmth and comfort of life with a loving family, but she would soon have a family of her own. Not long after settling into her foster home, she gave birth to ten beautiful puppies.

Sunshine had the challenge of both adjusting to life outside of a cage, and caring for her new puppies. But she adjusted quickly, and she and her young family began to thrive in the care of their foster family.

Had they been born into commercial breeding life, their fate may have been dramatically different. Commercial breeders often keep some of the puppies from a litter to introduce new lines into their program, or sell some to other commercial breeders looking to add to their stock.

Thankfully, with Sunshine’s rescue, her pups’ fate changed too, and they avoided life in an outdoor cage. When they grew old enough, each puppy was adopted by a loving family, and Sunshine too was adopted. Ten months after Sunshine’s rescue and the puppies’ birth, we proudly share ten wonderful updates on each of Sunshine’s golden rays.

Biscuit – now Murphy

Murphy’s entire body wiggles when he waggles his tail, which happens quite often. Murphy loves people, running outside, playing fetch, and snuggling with his favorite little humans. He also loves to steal gloves and hide them. But despite his passion for pilfering winter gear, his family is crazy about him. His adopter states, “We love our sweet Murphster. He brings us so much joy!”

The cutest thief we’ve ever seen – Murphy loves to hide the gloves of his family members.

Delilah – now Ginger

Ginger’s adoptive family includes a human mom and dad, a child, and another dog to play with. She is as sweet as sweet can be, and an extraordinarily beautiful girl.

Ginger and her friend contemplate how many treats they will get for looking so cute.

Tawnie – now Grace

Grace is sweet and eager to please. She has a playful side with a special growl when she’s really having fun. Every inch of her body wiggles with excitement each morning when she wakes up and realizes her family is just as happy to see her. “Grace is an angel,” her adoptive mom said.

Grace knows how to relax!

Hattie – now Hadley

Hadley loves to play and is always up for having fun with her many new friends, both two and four legged. Enamored with the family’s other dog, they even posed together in matching outfits for the holidays. She’s an incredibly sweet Golden, dearly loved by her family.

Hadley and her best friend wearing matching holiday outfits.

Rodeo – now Remington

Remington, or Remy for short, loves to be outside, play with toys, and, when his people are gone, watch Animal Planet. This lovable boy sometimes sneaks out of his yard to socialize with the neighbors, but he’s too sweet for his family to scold him. “We love him and are blessed he was chosen to be our dog,” proclaims his very proud and puppy-loving family.

Remington

Grace – now Bindi

Bindi has a silly side that keeps her family constantly laughing. Her ability to befriend every person and animal she encounters makes her so easy to love. Bindi loves playing with her dog brother Bruno, and is working hard to win over the heart of Bella, the family’s senior dog. She has a special bond with her family’s 4-year-old daughter. “Her sweet and gentle disposition, willingness to please, inquisitive nature, and whole-body wiggle when she’s excited remind me so much of her sweet mama, Sunshine,” her adopter states. “We are head over heels for her, and so lucky to be her family.”

Bindi enjoys a walk through nature.

Chip – now Murphy

Murphy was affectionately dubbed “Big Chip” by his foster family, and he has indeed lived up to his large name. Initially the largest and fluffiest in Sunshine’s litter, his heart has proved to be even bigger. He’s mischievous and playful, and loves to run, play, and dig. But most of all, he loves his new family, whose three children are smitten with him. Said his adopter, “Our love for Murphy is undeniable. Thank you for helping make him part of our family!”

Murphy graduates from kindergarten

Dottie – now Mabel

Mabel is a spunky puppy who loves exploring outside and chewing, chewing, chewing! She is dearly loved by the family’s three children, and makes an excellent snuggling and reading partner.

Reading and snuggling with her girls – some of Mabel’s favorite activities.

Hank

“Hank is the biggest lover in the whole world,” his adopter states. He loves playing with the family’s two other dogs. This mellow guy loves to rest his head in your lap, even when you are standing. Hank is dearly loved. “Thank you for bringing him into our lives,” said his adopter.

Hank knows how to relax

Dolly – now Trudy

A short time after she was adopted, Trudy gave her family a scare when she was diagnosed with a rare idiopathic immune disease. She spent much of the summer on medication to stabilize her immune system, but seeing her now you would never guess she had been sick. She’s been on numerous camping trips with her family and accompanies them on boat rides. She absolutely loves snuggles, but her very favorite activity no matter the season is looking out the window as people walk by.

Sweet Trudy loves to snuggle.

Sunshine too is thriving. Her new family has five fenced-in acres, and she loves to run and play with the family’s other dogs. (Read Sunshine’s story here.)

Although they’ve been apart for several months now, the adoptive families keep in touch through a social media group, posting photos of their dogs, sharing advice, and noting similarities.

With the raising of an auction paddle, the lives of these eleven wonderful dogs were forever changed for the better. Each is now enjoying an enriched life filled with unconditional love, joy, peace and happiness, while bringing the same to the families that cherish them so deeply.

And by so doing, Let the Sunshine In has taken on new meaning for all.